Some very exciting news! Especially about Pakistan. I had interpreted the number of baptism pictures on the Pakistani Church Facebook page as a slowdown in convert baptisms but that doesn't seem to be the case at all. Quite the contrary.
My impression is that convert baptisms are generally accelerating again post-Covid. So far, our ward has not had a convert baptism, but others in our stake are scratching on the double digits for the year (this is Illinois for those who don't follow my comments). We are also one approval away from being able to hold monthly YSA sacrament meetings on the campus of Eastern Illinois University. There is a lot of interest from students here (especially from Nigeria, Iran, and India), but only a tiny fraction of them have cars so getting them to come to Mattoon is a challenge. When I talked to the missionaries last week they said that they had taught at least one lesson to about 25 different students this semester (so since August) but only three of them have made it to church so far. For reference, the YSA branch up in Urbana had seven convert baptisms so far this year, and in the long run, that is something that I think could be replicated in Charleston if we had Church closer to where students live. Maybe someday it will stop the outrageous drain of young adults the Church is experiencing from the rural Midwest to Utah and Idaho.
@ Сњешко, I was in the India New Delhi Mission over a decade ago and was fortunate to accompany the mission president to Pakistan to train the missionaries there and attend church meetings, but in accordance with the laws relevant to our visit I did zero proselyting. I don't know specifics of their current finding practices, but I do know that they are only allowed to teach Christians. In some cities in Pakistan there are what are called "Christian colonies" -- neighborhoods that are overwhelmingly Christian, and where many (in some cities perhaps a majority) of the Christians live, which at least when I was there made those the areas in which missionaries mostly focused their efforts.
Is it true that we can only teach Christians in Pakistan? I thought it was that we could not teach or baptize Muslims. There are still some Hindus in Pakistan, and I would not think there would be any problem with the teaching of the gospel to Hindus.
Very interesting about Pakistan. Does anyone know any specifics about what they are doing to find people who are interested?
ReplyDeleteDO YOU THINK Growth this year will be more or less Ten in 2021 and or 2020?
ReplyDeleteSome very exciting news! Especially about Pakistan. I had interpreted the number of baptism pictures on the Pakistani Church Facebook page as a slowdown in convert baptisms but that doesn't seem to be the case at all. Quite the contrary.
ReplyDeleteMy impression is that convert baptisms are generally accelerating again post-Covid. So far, our ward has not had a convert baptism, but others in our stake are scratching on the double digits for the year (this is Illinois for those who don't follow my comments). We are also one approval away from being able to hold monthly YSA sacrament meetings on the campus of Eastern Illinois University. There is a lot of interest from students here (especially from Nigeria, Iran, and India), but only a tiny fraction of them have cars so getting them to come to Mattoon is a challenge. When I talked to the missionaries last week they said that they had taught at least one lesson to about 25 different students this semester (so since August) but only three of them have made it to church so far. For reference, the YSA branch up in Urbana had seven convert baptisms so far this year, and in the long run, that is something that I think could be replicated in Charleston if we had Church closer to where students live. Maybe someday it will stop the outrageous drain of young adults the Church is experiencing from the rural Midwest to Utah and Idaho.
Bad News:
ReplyDeleteArmenia/Azerbaijan conflict:
https://youtu.be/7NOMj7n6QAM
Good News:
Ukraine Temple reopens on a limited basis!
https://www.thechurchnews.com/temples/2022/10/16/23408007/church-reopens-kyiv-ukraine-temple-for-ordinance-work-on-a-limited-basis
I am hoping we may soon see more stakes in Papua New Guinea.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking of Papua New Guinea, the temple site now says the existing meetinghouse is being demolished:
ReplyDeletehttps://churchofjesuschristtemples.org/port-moresby-papua-new-guinea-temple/
It has been more than 2 years since the site location and exterior rendering were announced.
@ Сњешко, I was in the India New Delhi Mission over a decade ago and was fortunate to accompany the mission president to Pakistan to train the missionaries there and attend church meetings, but in accordance with the laws relevant to our visit I did zero proselyting. I don't know specifics of their current finding practices, but I do know that they are only allowed to teach Christians. In some cities in Pakistan there are what are called "Christian colonies" -- neighborhoods that are overwhelmingly Christian, and where many (in some cities perhaps a majority) of the Christians live, which at least when I was there made those the areas in which missionaries mostly focused their efforts.
ReplyDelete--Felix
Is it true that we can only teach Christians in Pakistan? I thought it was that we could not teach or baptize Muslims. There are still some Hindus in Pakistan, and I would not think there would be any problem with the teaching of the gospel to Hindus.
ReplyDelete